Education

Alberta Learning's mandate is to provide Albertans with quality lifelong learning opportunities. Within this mandate, the educational opportunities in the SouthGrow Region are second to none.

At the basic education level (Kindergarten to Grade 12), parents and students in the SouthGrow region can choose from a variety of schools in the Public, Private and Francophone school systems:

Public

Schools in the public school divisions provide a broad range of educational programs, and together with the quality of facilities, meet the needs of a wide variety of learners. All schools provide instruction in the core subjects (language arts, mathematics, social studies and science), physical education, and the fine arts. In addition, at the secondary level, students can experience a wide range of options or complementary courses designed to meet their unique needs and interests, including those related to career and technology studies. In addition to native education and early literacy, Special Education programs are offered for students with unique needs.

Separate

Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Separate Regional Division No. 4 serves the communities of Coaldale, Lethbridge, Picture Butte, Pincher Creek and Taber, through a total of 14 schools (elementary, junior high and high schools) in the division. French Immersion, Native Education and Fine Arts programs enhance the schools' offerings in the core subject areas. Students requiring a different program, or adaptation/modification to a regular school program are provided with Special Education support and services.

Post-Secondary

Post-Secondary educational institutions in the SouthGrow region continue to grow and strengthen the region by increasing the quality of the work force. SouthGrow is home to two of the Province's finest post-secondary institutions, Lethbridge College and The University of Lethbridge.

The University of Lethbridge (U of L) has over 9,000 students and offers undergraduate degrees in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and mathematics; and certificates, diplomas and undergraduate degrees in Education, Fine Arts, Health Sciences, Management and Nursing. At the graduate level, U of L offers a Master of Education (MEd), Master of Arts (MA), Master of Science (MSc) and a special case Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). With a focus on liberal education, smaller class sizes, co-op placements, excellence in teaching, and student involvement in research, U of L provides top-quality education. The University has a water research group under WISE – Water Institute for Semi-Arid Ecosystems and unique resources in physics with one scientist conducting research for NASA. The University of Lethbridge's 1st Choice Savings Health and Wellness Centre, focuses on preventing conditions and illnesses that impact society, combining academic knowledge and research in the areas of kinesiology and health sciences.

Lethbridge College (LC), Canada's first public community college opened in 1957 to 36 students and grew to over 4,000 students today. LC provides more than 50 diverse career development and training areas, with one-year certificate, two-year diploma, apprenticeship, pre-employment and applied degree programs in a variety of academic program areas, including Business and Management, Design and Technology, Justice Studies, Health and Human Services, Agriculture and the Environment, Trades, Preparatory Studies and University Transfer. The College's programs include applied research components with four Research Centres and Labs: Aquaculture Centre for Excellence; Living Home; Citizen Society Research Lab; and Open Source Learning Lab.

Library Network

Chinook Arch Regional Library System is a network of 32 cooperating libraries in Southwest Alberta that provides cost-effective, convenient access to information and library resources. Services available to member communities include: reference libraries, inter-library loans, special collections, paperback delivery by mail and technical support.